The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Jan. 4 the finalists for the 2025 Eclipse Awards, recognizing excellence through the past year in Thoroughbred racing. Winners in 17 horse and human categories will be announced on FanDuel TV, and other outlets, during the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, presented by John Deere, The Jockey Club and the NTRA, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The evening will culminate with the announcement of the 2025 Horse of the Year.
Of the 240 eligible voters represented by the NTRA, consisting of racetrack racing officials and Equibase field personnel, the NTWAB, and Daily Racing Form, 221 (92%) took part in the voting. Finalists were determined in each category by voters' top three selections, using a 10-5-1 point basis. Eclipse Award winners are determined solely by first-place votes.
The 2025 Eclipse Awards Finalists, with the exception of Horse of the Year, (in alphabetical order) are:
2-Year-Old Male: Brant, Gstaad, Ted Noffey
2-Year-Old Filly: Cy Fair, Explora, Super Corredora
3-Year-Old Male: Baeza, Journalism, Sovereignty
3-Year-Old Filly: Good Cheer, Nitrogen, Shisospicy
Older Dirt Male: Forever Young, Nysos, Sierra Leone
Older Dirt Female: Scylla, Splendora, Thorpedo Anna
Male Sprinter: Bentornato, Book'em Danno, Nysos
Female Sprinter: Kopion, Shisospicy, Splendora
Male Turf Horse: Deterministic, Notable Speech, Rebel's Romance
Female Turf Horse: Gezora, She Feels Pretty, Shisospicy
Steeplechase Horse: Cool Jet, Swore, Zanahiyr
Owner: Godolphin, Klaravich Stables, Spendthrift Farm
Breeder: Don Alberto Corporation, Godolphin, WinStar Farm
Trainer: Chad Brown, Brad Cox, Bill Mott
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr., Flavien Prat, John Velazquez
Apprentice Jockey: Christopher Elliott, Yedsit Hazlewood, Pietro Moran
Finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced during the live show Jan. 22. In addition to honoring the 17 winners in the horse and human categories, Dan Piazza will receive the Eclipse Award as the 2025 Horseplayer of the Year. Members of the media will be honored for outstanding coverage in six categories.
Eclipse Awards voting is conducted by the NTWAB, the NTRA, and Daily Racing Form. The Eclipse Awards ceremony is produced by the NTRA.
The Eclipse Awards are named after the great 18th-century racehorse and foundation sire, Eclipse, who began racing at age 5 and was undefeated in 18 starts, including eight walkovers. Eclipse sired the winners of 344 races, including three Epsom Derbies.
Information about the Eclipse Awards can be found at https://www.ntra.com/eclipse-awards/. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Michele Ravencraft at mravencraft@ntra.com.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
